Sustainable springtime shoppies
Try saying that three times fast!
Spring + end of pandemic = I need a puffy-sleeved tea-length gingham dress now. This time of year always inspires a wave of consumption I refer to as my “springtime shoppies.” In years past, this is when I would hit Zara for 5-10 trendy pieces to usher in warmer weather. Inevitably, half of those pieces would fall apart after a few washes, and the other half would feel garishly out of style by the following season. And so the pattern would repeat. But last spring, instead of the shoppies, we got sweatpants. The cycle broke.
As we head back into society in these next few months, we’ll all be reassessing our wardrobes in some capacity. Some folks are now fully committed to comfort and will be looking for more pared-down, soft sets that are still public appropriate. Others (raises hand) will be testing the limits of Marabou feathers and satin in the daytime.
Whatever your sartorial inclination, I encourage you to take this year of social reckoning and apply your values to your springtime shoppies. I polled my Instagram followers for their favorite sustainable shops this week. Here are a the responses:
Heidi: Park Story and Mimi Miller
Abby: Angie Bauer
Sarah: Etiko
Katherine: Selina Sanders, Psychic Outlaw, LiFER, 3 Women, Siduals, Baba Yaga, Solai, Tunnel Vision
Susanna: Ilana Kohn, Lisa Says Gah, Rachel Craven, Lauren Manoogian
Corie: Aox Eyewear, Gaala Paris, The Emperors Old Clothes
AnaMarie: Kotn
I am personally lusting after a caftan from Jennron and the aforementioned gingham dress from Molby the Label.
My friend Clair brought up a valid point in response to this poll: Where are the affordable options?
Shopping small and sustainably is more expensive than shopping fast fashion or even medium, ethically-gray, green-washing fashion (lookin’ at you, Everlane and Reformation). But what’s out of whack isn’t the pricing of sustainable, small makers (trust me, they aren’t getting rich), it’s our perception of what clothing costs. Forever 21 and its fellows have seriously warped our perception of how much a garment should cost, how many we should have, and how long each should last.
There is a little bit of a mental shift that has to be done to in order to start shopping more consciously. For example: You don’t need 5 new pieces of clothing to zhuzh up your wardrobe. Just get one excellent piece and wear the heck out of it. You can un-train your brain to require novelty to feel good. Feeling a quality fabric and knowing your money supported a small business feels even better than a shopping-haul high.
My favorite sustainable fashion resource, Clotheshorse Podcast, has a great button that says “Proud Outfit Repeater.” What I love most about Amanda, the host, is that she never shames, only educates. She references periods in her adult life where inexpensive clothes were the only ones she could afford, and that that is ok. But she also makes two points that have stuck with me as I’ve attempted to become a more conscious consumer:
If it’s cheap, someone didn’t get paid.
If you can afford to budget more for clothes, you have the responsibility to buy more consciously. Some folks don’t have the privilege of choice. If you do, make your choices in support of the kind of world you want to live in (which, for me, pays workers a fair wage in dignified and safe conditions and doesn’t tolerate rampant waste and polluting).
If spending over $100 on a garment feels exorbitant or out of reach, you’re left with two fantastic options: thrifting and vintage. My personal favorite, well-priced, size inclusive (though inventory fluctuates) Etsy vintage shops are Tree Magic Vintage and Mirrorball Boutique Vintage. I try to encourage “But I need to try it on!” folks to give online shops a try—all you need to ensure fit is a seamstress measuring tape. . . or any charging cord and a ruler/measuring tape. Know your measurements, and any shop worth their salt will meet you half way by providing exact dimensions of each piece of inventory. I bought jeans (vintage red tab Levis, sorry for bragging) from Mirrorball in the fall and they fit perfectly. JEANS. If I can summon the faith and trust to order non-returnable jeans online, you can gather the gumption to start with something flowy.
Do you want to talk more about this? I know it can feel overwhelming, but we’re aiming for progress, not perfection. Reply to this email if you’d like to chat about specifics or share a shop you love!
I treasure you, I really do! Thanks for being here.
Until next week,
Elizabeth
This newsletter is just one facet of Zhuzh, my platform dedicated to conscious consumption and making space for delight. I offer secondhand-and-vintage-based wardrobe and interior styling services, art curation, and super chill life coaching. Keep up with me on Instagram and learn more at www.zhuzhlife.com.